Obama finds tough going with North Korea, Iran

President Barack Obama makes remarks in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building in Washington, April 16, 2009.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama vowed when he took office to extend a hand to troublesome countries "willing to unclench your fist." So far he is finding that North Korea and Iran are keeping their fists clenched.

The two countries, original members of former President George W. Bush's "axis of evil" along with Iraq, are testing the new U.S. president in his first three months in office.

This comes despite his attempt to implement a less aggressive approach to foreign policy. As he said in London this month, the United States leads best when "we show some element of humility," act in partnership with other countries and "recognize that we may not always have the best answer."

North Korea has been particularly resistant to Obama's charms and has acted in ways no different than it did when Bush was leading U.S. foreign policy.

Earlier this month, Pyongyang launched a long-range rocket. In response to a U.N. Security Council resolution condemning the move, North Korea this week said it would pull out of six-party nuclear talks, and kicked out international nuclear inspectors.

Experts see a familiar pattern in North Korea's actions.

"They're testing, they want attention. They also want concessions," said Nicholas Szechenyi, an Asia expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank. "But I don't think that's going to be in the offing any time soon."

He said that while North Korea's "fist is clearly clenched, one would assume the Obama administration would not go running to Pyongyang to resume dialogue" at this point.

"AN ENGAGEMENT WITH IRAN"

Obama's experience with Iran has been a little better.

After the Obama administration broke with Bush policy and promised to join international talks with Iran, Tehran said on Wednesday it had prepared proposals to end a stalemate with six world powers over its nuclear ambitions.

But no details of the new package were given, a point seized on by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at a news conference.

"We've been saying that we are, you know, looking to have an engagement with Iran, but we haven't seen anything that would amount to any kind of proposal at all," Clinton said.

Iran, which says its nuclear program is to generate electricity, has boasted of now running 7,000 uranium centrifuges, which can have civilian and military uses, and has vowed not to stop uranium enrichment.

In addition, Iran is persisting with putting on trial on spy charges an Iranian-American journalist, Roxana Saberi, whose release has been demanded by Washington.

Shibley Telhami, a Middle East expert who is a professor at the University of Maryland, said Iran's behavior on the nuclear issue seems to be setting a new tone for what promises to be difficult negotiations.

"While they send some mixed signals, including some positive signals the likes of which they have not sent in the past, they are still acting as though not much has changed to prepare for the negotiations," he said.

Telhami applauded the Obama administration for deciding to join talks with Iran because "you can't find out what's possible without airing these negotiations."

One action Obama took in reaching out to Iran could be affecting North Korea's behavior. The president taped a video message to the Iranian people urging a new beginning. There has been no such video sent to North Korea.

"It's fair to speculate that the North Koreans might be expecting the same kind of attention," Szechenyi said.

(Editing by Will Dunham)